How much privacy are you willing to give up? Imagine a gadget in your den that knows if you're arguing with your spouse. Or a device that blocks an R-rated show when a child enters the room. Based on their patent applications, Microsoft and Verizon have plans for just such technology.

Now broken up, the Motorolas have distinct corporate personalities: the riskier but higher-growth potential Motorola Mobility, which includes Droid smartphones, and the steadier Motorola Solutions, which makes things like bar-code scanners.